Tuesday, August 28, 2012

[030] Internships can lead to jobs, offers for MTSU Master's Students

Master of Science in
Professional Science contact: Dr. Saeed Foroudastan, 615-494-8786 or Saeed.Foroudastan@mtsu.edu

Internships can lead to jobs, offers for MTSU master’s
students

MURFREESBORO — On
Thursday, Aug. 9,with MTSU commencement
just two days away, Ken Gendrich had a moment to reflect on a busy past year
just before making his MTSU master’s internship presentation.

Gendrich, 49, a Murfreesboro resident, made his presentation
on his healthcare informatics internship with Woodbury, Tenn.-based Sim
Interactive Inc. His work with Sim included building a software product for an
iPad.

Six weeks ago, the married father of three landed a
full-time job with HCA Healthcare in Nashville. This past spring, he and other engineering-technology
students were in the solar-boat initiative that participated in a national
competition in Iowa.

Gendrich also has been an important member of Dr. Charles
Perry’s plug-in hybrid retrofit kit project, which is generating international
interest because of its gas-saving capability.

“This has been a great experience,” Gendrich said of the
Master of Science in Professional Science program, which earned a Tennessee
Board of Regents’ award of excellence in 2011 and led the state to consider
similar programs across Tennessee.

“As a whole, it’s a great way to get introduced to
healthcare informatics and the business acumen as well,” Gendrich added. “It prepares
you for entry level as well as management opportunities.”

The program is a combination of business and science and
prepares students to work in leadership roles in scientific businesses and
agencies. It was established in 2004 and includes four concentrations
(biostatistics, biotechnology, healthcare informatics and actuarial science)
and two more — geosciences and engineering management — starting this fall.

Gendrich was one of 15 students making their presentations
from their 250-hours required internship with an industry partner.

Nearly one-half of this year’s presenters either have landed
jobs or are considering job offers. Eleven of them are prospective Aug. 11
graduation candidates.

“My internship was amazing,” said Cherise O’Connell, of Dickson,
Tenn., who added that it has led her to several job opportunities. She said
doing all coursework online has been beneficial and the program “is a fabulous
way to network.”

Dr. Saeed Foroudastan, College of Basic and Applied Sciences
associate dean and director of this master’s program, told the group how
special they were before the presentations began.

“You are the shining stars of the graduate program,” he said.

Foroudastan introduced Dr. Bud Fisher, the first-year
College of Basic and Applied Sciences dean, to the group.

• Harold Tuthill, actuarial science, Department of Commerce
and Insurance for the State of Tennessee in Nashville; and

• Bruce Williams*, actuarial science, Department of Commerce
and Insurance for the State of Tennessee, Nashville.

(* — Prospective Aug. 11 graduation candidates)

###

PHOTO CAPTIONS

Gillespie and Green1.jpg

Scott Gillespie, center, talks with Dr. Lisa
Bloomer Green during the Master of Science in Professional Science internship
presentations Aug. 9 in the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building. Gillespie’s
biostatistics internship has been with Emory University in Atlanta. (Photo by
MTSU News and Media Relations)

Faculty.jpg

MTSU Master of Science in Professional
Science coordinators and faculty Drs. Becky Seipelt, left, Bruce Cahoon and
Lisa Bloomer Green, and master's student Cliff Bowman, front right, listen to
one of 15 participants share about their internship experience. Next to Green
are Harold Tuthill and Bruce Williams. (Photo by MTSU News and Media Relations)

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